Live Stats
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- Boasting a pristine 4-0 record after the first week of action, the 19th-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team will head north for the two-day Mary Washington Invitational, which begins on Friday afternoon at UMW's William M. Anderson Center.
Putting their undefeated record on the line, the Captains will face several early-season tests at the tournament. The squad will open up against No. 11 Eastern on Friday at 2 p.m. before battling Geneva at 4 p.m. On Saturday, CNU will take on a pair of intrastate rivals in Randolph-Macon at 2 p.m. and Lynchburg at 6 p.m.
Live stats will be available for all CNU matches during the tournament. Fans can access them by visiting CNUsports.com/live.
Christopher Newport enters the Mary Washington Invitational on a roll after capturing the Captains Classic championship last weekend. During their home tournament, the squad swept Keene State, Washington & Lee, Cabrini, and Bridgewater. Both Washington & Lee and Cabrini were coming off of NCAA Tournament appearances last season.
Briana Sutton was named the MVP of the Captains Classic after ripping 50 kills while hitting at a .460 clip.
Hannah Miller also earned All-Tournament honors after leading the way with a .486 hitting percentage while notching 41 kills and nine blocks.
Brooke Moore also had a solid weekend with 52 digs and a .945 reception percentage. She earned a spot on the All-Tournament team as well.
In addition to the award-winners,
Rachel Conway got off to a great start in 2014 with 136 assists. The junior setter helped lead the team to an astounding .364 hitting percentage during the four matches.
Maddie McCann also clubbed 25 kills, while
Eliza Fisher and
Ashley Rock combined for 31.
The Captains will kick off the Mary Washington Invitational against Eastern, who has developed into a consistent regional rival for CNU. The two programs have battled six times with the Eagles holding a 4-2 lead in the all-time series. EU posted a pair of victories last year, including a 3-0 triumph in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Eastern enters Friday with a perfect 4-0 record after rolling through the Gettysburg Invitational last weekend. Middle hitter Stephanie Elechko earned All-Tournament honors for the Eagles after leading the team with 39 kills and a .478 hitting percentage. Miranda Kauffman, the team's libero, also had a nice effort after subbing in for All-American setter Rikki Schlager on Saturday. In her new role, she dished out 65 assists and eventually helped the team hit .360 in the final match of the tournament.
Geneva comes into the Mary Washington Invitational with a 3-3 record, including a 3-0 victory over Chatham on Wednesday. Entering their first-ever meeting with the Captains, the Golden Tornadoes have been paced by freshman Erica Hughes, who leads the team with 70 kills. Rachel Netherland has also averaged over nine assists per set, while Gabrielle Dickson and Alexis Ritson are tied for the team-lead with 42 digs apiece.
Randolph-Macon, who sits at 2-2 on the season, will renew its rivalry with CNU on Saturday. The Captains and Yellow Jackets have met 22 times with Christopher Newport holding a 15-7 edge in the all-time series despite a 3-1 setback last season in Ashland. So far this year, Courtney Lowers has been at the forefront of the RMC attack, registering 62 kills and a .265 hitting percentage. Katie Rossberg has also collected 41 kills, while Samantha Sallade has averaged a team-best 3.64 digs per set.
Rounding out the weekend opponents, Lynchburg comes into play with a 1-3 record. The Hornets lead the all-time series with CNU, 9-5, but the Captains tallied a 3-0 victory in the 2013 season opener. This year, LC has been led by middle hitter Sierra Strathy, who has a 1.92 kills-per-set average and a team-best .345 hitting percentage. She also has seven blocks and nine aces, while Sam Page has anchored the back row with 40 digs.
Following this weekend's action, Christopher Newport will return home for the CNU Invitational beginning next Friday at the Freeman Center.
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